the professional - Michigan Floral Association

A d v a n c i n g e d u c at i o n a l a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l pa r t n e r s h i p s n at i o n w i d e
florist
the professional
Volume IV 2012
Merchandising
the Christmas
Holiday
Deck the Halls
Capturing
Commercial
Accounts
Bridal
Consultations
101
W
in Dia
n m
in o
g nd
Pu A
bl wa
ic r
at d
io
n
FloraCraft
Still Going
Strong
A d v a n c i n g e d u c at i o n a l a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l pa r t n e r s h i p s n at i o n w i d e
florist
the professional
Volume IV 2012
Cover photo by
Al Cooley Photography,
Smithers Oasis booth arrangement,
Great Lakes Floral Expo 2012
By Alice Waterous, AIFD, CF, CFD, PFCI, MFA President
1152 Haslett Road, P.O. Box 67 Haslett, MI 48840
(517) 575-0110 • (517) 575-0115
[email protected]
www.michiganfloral.org
MFA Staff
Industry News
Executive Vice President: Rodney P. Crittenden
Executive Assistant: Cindy S. Ching, AIFD, CF
4
5
An Opportunity Taken
Tim Timinski Joins MFA Board
Shinall Promoted at Syndicate Sales
6
Holiday Features
Merchandising the Christmas Holiday
8
Leadership Report
By Barbara Gilbert, Editor
Deck the Halls…
MFA Board of Directors 2011
President: Alice Waterous, AIFD, CF, CFD, PFCI
Floral Consultant, Grand Haven, MI
Vice President: Bob Patterson
Patterson’s Flowers, Big Rapids, Cadillac & Reed City, MI
Treasurer: Jim Schmidt
Hyacinth House, Lansing, MI
By Kim Tozier
Immediate Past President: Jeanette Gaudreau-Ballien
Gaudreau the Florist, Saginaw, MI
Marketing Feature
Executive Vice President/CEO/Secretary: Rodney P. Crittenden
Michigan Floral Association, Haslett, MI
10 Capturing Commercial Accounts
By Carolynn Van Namen
Sympathy Column
15 One in 17 Million!
By Laura L. Parker, AIFD, CFD, CF
Member Profile
16 Picket Fence, a Family Affair
By Barbara Gilbert, Editor
Bridal Update
18 Bridal Consultations 101
Directors-At-Large
Bob Patterson
Patterson’s Flowers, Big Rapids, Cadillac & Reed City, MI
Kim Herbers
Saginaw Valley Flower Exchange, Saginaw, MI
Janice Curran
Teleflora, Grand Rapids, MI
Regional Directors
R1:Open
R2: Debbie Royal, AIFD, CF, CFD
Royal Expressions, Blissfield, MI
R3: Teresa Cytlak
Ridgeway Floral, Three Rivers, MI
By Loann Burke, AIFD, CFD , PFCI
R4: Alice Waterous, AIFD, CF, CFD, PFCI
Floral Consultant, Grand Haven, MI
Hall of Fame
R5: Jeanette Gaudreau-Ballien
Gaudreau the Florist, Ltd., Saginaw, MI
18 2012 Michigan Floral Foundation Hall of Fame Awards Banquet
Honoring Bobbi Ecker-Blatchford, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
Designer Spotlight
21 Here Comes Christmas
By Doug Bates, CF
2012 Designer of the Year
Company Profile
22 FloraCraft Still Going Strong
R6: Tim Timinski
FloraCraft Corp., Ludington, MI
Publications Committee
Bob Patterson
Patterson’s Flowers, Big Rapids, Cadillac & Reed City, MI
Teresa Cytlak
Ridgeway Floral, Three Rivers, MI
Jerome Raska, AAF, AIFD, CAFA, CF, CFD, PFCI
Blumz...by JRDesigns, Detroit / Ferndale, MI
By Barbara Gilbert, Editor
Jeanette Gaudreau-Ballien
Gaudreau the Florist, Ltd., Saginaw, MI
CF Report
Alice Waterous, AIFD, CF, CFD, PFCI
Floral Consultant, Grand Haven, MI
24 Achieving Certification
By Tim Latimer, CF, CF Chairman
Janice Curran
Teleflora, Grand Rapids, MI
Business Column
Colleen Siembor
Cardwell Florist, Livonia, MI
25 Simple Checkout is an Easy E-Commerce Option
By Anne Heraghty
27 Professional Education Center
29 Classified Ads
30 Business Cards
Publisher: Rodney P. Crittenden
Advertising Director & Sales: Rodney P. Crittenden
Editor: Barbara Gilbert
Graphic Design: Joe McGurn
Printing: Village Press Publications
MFA is not responsible for the statements or opinions
published in the The Professional Florist. These represent the
views of each author and are not necessarily the views
of the association or its staff.
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
leadershipReport
An Opportunity
B y A lic e W at e r o us A I F D , C F, C F D , P F C I , P r e sid e n t, M ichi g an F l o ral A ss o ciat i o n
W
hether change is good or
bad, it is simply the order
of things. We each have the
opportunity to mold our reaction to life’s
surprise package. It makes me impatient
to hear people grieve about the “good old
days”. Whether things were better or not,
the only time we have to enjoy and utilize is now.
The Michigan Floral Association and its members flex with
new influences, business modes and marketing challenges
every day. At our core, we are in the business of affecting lives
with beautiful floral products, presented in an artistic fashion.
Lucky us!
A recent opportunity to interact with the Michigan Funeral
Directors at their conference held in Mt. Pleasant was a win, win
situation. Through the efforts of our Executive Director, Rod
Crittenden, and MFA Vice President, Bob Patterson, a connection
was made and a plan implemented for the MFA to have a booth
at the MFDA conference trade show. We created floral designs
with flowers donated by Nordlie Inc. and Vans Floral Products
to represent a sampling of what our members create for various
types of services.
How interesting, to see the variety of goods and services
offered to funeral homes. We were able to display a casket
spray on a hand-crafted wooden casket that is completely
biodegradable. It was lovely to see, a natural finish with no
The various services provided by Michigan florists were featured in a booth at the Michigan Funeral Directors conference.
4
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
leadershipReport
Taken
metal components used in its construction. Obviously this
company has identified a need and filled it by producing a
product that is eco-friendly, and at the same time satisfies the
family with something lovely to inter their loved one in. In
addition to items appropriate for cremations, state of the art
memorial stones and pre-planning services, there were all
sorts of personalized styles of caskets, from a John Deere style
model to one with homage to quilters. So like the florist, funeral
directors are aware of the need to respond to changing times,
needs and attitudes.
Of course, our main purpose in participating was to encourage
funeral directors to move people away from the term: “in lieu
of flowers”. By handing out a sheet that suggested other phrases,
and engaging in conversations, we hoped to give funeral
directors the tools and encouragement to omit the “please omit”
type phrases in obituaries.
It would be nice to be able to say this problem is forever
solved; it most likely will persist at some level. However,
represent ing our members and keeping t he l ines of
communication open to the members of the Michigan Funeral
Directors Assn., was worth the effort. The better the relationship
between our professions, the less likely we will see negative
phrases related to funeral and memorial services.
Death is of course, inevitable and since earliest times, humans
have expressed sympathy and eased their grief with flowers.
The MFA is dedicated to helping our members serve their
communities with appropriate and beautiful floral tributes for
a long time to come.
IndustryNews
Tim Timinski
Joins MFA Board
Shinall Promoted
at Syndicate Sales
he M ic h iga n Flora l
Association is pleased to
a n n o u n c e t h at T i m
Timinski, business development
manager at FloraCraft Corp. in
Ludington, MI, has joined the MFA
Board of Directors. Timinski will
be serving as the region 6 director.
“I am very pleased to be joining
the MFA board, and I hope that
my 27 years in the industry will
allow me to make some valuable
contributions that will benefit the
entire association,” said Timinski.
“When I hear the numerous
(with emphasis on numerous )
MFA trade fair attendees make
statements such as, ‘This is by far the best state association
and trade fair around’, I think it warrants everyone’s best effort to ensure that MFA continues to be the quality “benchmark”
in all of its endeavors. I look forward to giving the membership my best effort.”
aura Shinall has been promoted to vice president at
Syndicate Sales, Kokomo, IN. The announcement was
made by company chairman, Del Demaree.
Shinall has been involved in the floral industry for over 30
years in both wholesale and retail operations. She began with
Syndicate Sales as an account
executive and most recently
served as director of marketing.
In addition she has sat on the
company board of directors for
15 years and is a member of the
American Floral Endowment
board of trustees and the Society
of American Florists consumer
marketing committee.
T
L
5
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
HolidayFeature
Merchandising
the Christmas Holiday
B y B arbara Gilb e r t, Edi t o r
E
ven though it is only July, every florist knows that
Christmas is just around the corner.
According to the Society of American Florists, it is the
number one flower buying holiday just ahead of Mother’s Day.
Statistics on www.aboutflowers.com show that 30 percent of consumer
transactions of flowers and plants occur for the December holiday.
While 54 percent of these purchases are fresh flowers, red poinsettias
come in a close second at 53 percent. Seventy-80 million poinsettias
are sold at Christmas.
Other popular flowering plants are cyclamen, kalanchoe,
Christmas cactus, and holly. In addition, there are the traditional
wreaths, roping, swags and holiday arrangements that will boost
your seasonal sales.
So how can you get the most out of your holiday displays and
make sure they provide an added sales tool?
One way is to make sure that you have an eye-catching array
of poinsettias. Schaefer’s Greenhouses, in Montgomery, IL, creates
a display of 35,000 pots of vibrant, multiple bloom poinsettias in
red, burgundy, white and pink.
Even if your space is small, like the window of your flower
Copper and gold are featured in this holiday
vignette at Frankenmuth Florist. Copper and gold
ornaments have been combined with ivory/gold
bows and silver glittered sprays.
6
shop, or large like a 200,000 sq, ft. greenhouse, an array of
brightly color poinsettias will definitely put your customers in
the holiday mood.
Another way to boost sales is the holiday open house. An open
house is guaranteed to bring customers into your establishment.
Here you can showcase ornaments, containers, fresh flowers,
holiday greens, Christmas trees, supplies. and gifts.
For years Kennicott Brothers in Chicago hosted “Christmas
in July” which drew 500 florists who enjoyed refreshments and
arranging tips from top designers. They now host this event
in September.
According to Mary Ann Kutnick at Schaefer’s, “We have found
that the single biggest draw at a Christmas open house is the appearance of Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. Their appearance draws
families into our business. Have a photographer there. Take free
photos, print, and display them for pickup the following week. This
will bring the customer back into your store for a second look. An
open house is a great way to connect with the community.”
Most flower shops will have their open houses beginning in
September and running through early November. But decorating
can begin even earlier. In Frankenmuth, MI, where “it is Christmas
A “snow” hill with sledding snowmen is the
centerpiece of this Frankenmuth Florist tableau
featuring custom silk arrangements, including
trees, wreaths and holiday giftware.
This Country Lane Flower Shop tree has peacock feathers
at the top along with a copper and gold ribbon treatment.
Teal silk eucalyptus, berries and ferns are woven in, along
with large cream magnolia blossoms peppered throughout.
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
Wine is the theme of this scene at Frankenmuth Florist which combines
Christmas decorations and wine related gifts. Tree decorations include bottles,
ornaments and bunches of grapes. The tree is complemented with wine
caddies, bottles, and candles.
Country Lane Flower Shop’s whimsical window treatment highlights
top hats in red, green and black. The hats, made of a stiff, mesh-like fabric,
are decorated with holly while the coordinated Christmas tree is topped
with sprays of glittered berries.
all year long”, Vita Hopp at Frankenmuth Florist, begins decorating
at the end of August. She noted, “We begin at the back of the store
and work our way up to the front by November. Eight to 15 trees
are decorated and coordinated with vignettes. For example, a wine
ornament decorated tree is next to a vignette featuring wine
glasses and giftware.”
Themed trees are a popular way of showing off the many holiday
items available in your shop. Designer Libbie Deering, Country
Lane Flower Shop, Howell, MI, pointed out they have done quite
a few themed trees featuring among others a pink princess look,
woodland ornaments, all white decorations, and peacock colors in
addition to the traditional red and green.
Kevin Adamo at Country Lane and Mark Forsberg, Forsberg
Flowers, Marquette, MI, have incorporated a “Ladies Night” into
their Christmas merchandising. At Forsberg ladies receive roses
and can partake of wine, cheese, and crackers while shopping,
while at Country Lane the services of a nail tech and a massage
therapist are available.
Using the social network has become an integral part of
promoting floral holidays. Facebook, LinkedIn, and tweeting are
all being used to make consumers aware of what your business
can offer.
In order to promote commercial business, send wreaths to
local companies suggesting that they send a Christmas token
to favored customers, employees, and suppliers. It is a small
effort on your part that can pay large dividends.
Benches of poinsettias, combined in a quilt of vibrant colors, greet visitors
to Schaefer Greenhouses.
An ice crystal themed tree is the focal point in this snowy skating scene
display at Schaefer’s.
Santa & Mrs. Claus pose for pictures among the poinsettias at
Schaefer Greenhouses.
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the professional florist | volume IV 2012
HolidayFeature
Deck the Halls…
B y K im T o z i e r , H iawat ha E v e r g r e e ns , S h e lt o n , W A
T
he greening of Christmas is an ancient tradition that
goes back to Roman times when houses were decorated
with evergreen plants. Early Christians
combined berries with greens to decorate their
homes. In 16th century England houses were
decked with seasonal greens like ivy and
bay laurel. Wreaths, swags, and
evergreen garlands have been used to
“deck the halls” for centuries.
Much of the ancient decorations were
seen as religious symbols. For example,
holly symbolized the crown-of-thorns and
its red berries the blood of Jesus. The heartshaped leaves of ivy were said to represent Jesus’
arrival on earth. Thus, the traditional colors of red
Oregonia, Port Orford cedar, and noble fir
are used in this decorative hanging basket.
The 10” black metal scroll basket
with a red liner also showcases
red berry clusters and painted
pine cones. It comes with three
chains and a hook for hanging.
8
This mixed greens wreath
contains fresh noble fir,
incense cedar, and
blue berried juniper
accented with ponderosa
pine cones.
and green: red for the blood of Jesus and green, represented by
evergreens, symbolizing eternal life.
Mistletoe was a part of ancient Druid ceremonies hundreds
of years before Christ. They believed it had special
powers since it remained green during the cold
winter. The practice of kissing under the mistletoe is lost in time but the plant was seen as a
symbol of peace by the ancient Romans.
Over the years, holiday decorating has
become more elaborate. Decorations have
gone from inside the house to over the
front door, around lampposts, and on
fences. Inside the house evergreens continue to represent new life with centerpieces, mantelpieces and hanging baskets.
The variety of holiday greens available
to wholesalers and retailers is unending.
Among the most popular are salal, huckleberry,
bear grass, noble fir, blue berried juniper, red cedar,
incense cedar, white pine, and Douglas fir to name just
a few. These are all harvested from the temperate forests of the
Pacific Northwest.
During peak production, which begins in October and runs
through the first part of December, Hiawatha produces 45,00050,000 decorator items per day which are kept fresh until delivery within 100,000 square feet of cold storage. There are
800-900 temporary piece workers hired each season to produce
all the fresh items and 45 full time year around employees.
Also, truckloads of fresh cut bough material (evergreen tree
limb tips) are shipped to wholesale florists who either resell it or
produce their own finished products, such as wreaths, swags,
centerpieces, urns or garlands.
Creating distinctive designs for customers requesting more
elaborate wreaths and centerpieces can be a challenge. The Holiday
Petals Wreath is part of the Season of Elegance category. It features
a pair of red velvet poinsettias, and a cluster of ponderosa pine
cones on a noble fir and Port Orford cedar wreath.
Hiawatha has also created a new eco-friendly product group
entitled the Go Greener category. The incentive to create this was
prompted by customers who are also focusing on social and environmental sustainability. The group included a hanging basket
and two centerpieces. The containers are made from a bamboo
composite which is 100 percent biodegradable. The coloring for the
containers derives from natural vegetable dyes and the decorations
are natural dried canella berries, German statice and pine cones.
A white taper candle in the centerpiece contains no paraffin wax
and is made with 100 percent palm wax from a non-GMO rapidly renewable resource.
The greening of America has become important in producing
evergreens. Becoming even greener has been and will continue
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
to be an important focus for Hiawatha. All the evergreens are
harvested in ways that encourage regeneration to insure there
will continue to be ample supply for years to come.
Bough (evergreen tree limb tips) plots are harvested on a
bi-annual basis to maintain product availability year after
year. Harvesters cut an average of fifty pounds per tree, which
is the amount necessary for five standard sized wreaths. During production all waste is thrown onto conveyor belts, which
are then processed through a chipper and made into mulch
used for landscaping.
Hiawatha continues to seek ways to increase production
without impacting the environment. By exercising efficient
methods of recycling and incessant monitoring of water and
power usages, we continue to look for ways to improve our
‘Green Power’.
The care and handling of fresh cut Christmas greens is
important for both wholesaler and retailer to insure that the
customer is satisfied with the end product. Wholesalers should
unpack the greens from the shipping box as soon as possible.
Branches should be stored at 32 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit,
relative humidity 80-90 percent.
Retailers can provided their customers with a list of basic
instructions such as keeping the greens away from heat and
sunlight, misting, and adding water each day. Some even
advocate putting them away in the refrigerator at night. More
likely, putting them in a cool place will do the trick and keep
them fresh the entire Christmas season.
Wreaths and garlands can be combined to decorate the doorway.
Here, a handcrafted log basket is filled with Christmas greens, red and blue berries,
pine cones, curly willow and variegated holly.
The Holiday Petals
Centerpiece features fragrant
noble fir and Port Orford
cedar in a four and a half
inch luster red tin. The
arrangement is decorated
with a red velvet poinsettia.
9
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
MarketingFeature
Capturing
Commercial
Accounts
B y C ar o ly nn Van N am e n , M B A , I n t e g ra Gl o bal C o nsult in g
Y
ou’ve heard it before: begin with
the end in mind. That’s a great
principle to use in setting new
goals for increasing revenues and building
more business. Decide on your target and
work backwards to figure out how you
will reach it. This process works for anyone
in a retail floral or any other business looking for new and
different ways to achieve greater revenues.
There are some basic rules of marketing that you may want
to keep in mind as you develop your commercial account
business. You can either sell more products and services to your
existing customers or find new customers in a different market
segment. Admittedly, experts will tell you that it’s easier and
more cost-effective to sell more goods and services to people
who already buy from you than to acquire new customers. There
is an incremental cost to gaining each new customer. But in this
economy, you have to be inventive and seek customers in places
and ways that you haven’t tried before. Diversification is a key
element in survival for small businesses.
So, how do you go about finding and acquiring those lucrative
commercial accounts? If you’ve never considered developing
relationships with other businesses and professional firms, we
can walk you through the process right here. Hint: It takes some
research and legwork but yields profitable results – and who
doesn’t want that?
Tip #1: Build Trust
You probably know that commercial accounts, unlike
individual clients, can provide you with a consistent order
frequency over time, which should even out the peaks and
valleys that typically affect a retail flower business. Like gaining
any new customers and retaining existing ones, you have to
build a relationship based on trust and the ability to deliver on
your promises. People and companies want to do business with
10
others they already know and trust. Gain their trust and you’ve
got a customer for the long-term.
Trust is a huge factor in the relationship arena, whether it’s
between friends, lovers or customers. Who you are as a retail
florist (or wholesaler or supplier) is tied directly to how good
you are at keeping your promises to your customers. Those
promises may not be stated outright, but every time you accept
an order and agree to deliver it on a specified day and time,
you’ve done more than enter into a contractual agreement;
you’ve made a promise. You develop trust by doing what you
say you will do, charging a reasonable price for your products
and services that creates perceived value for the purchaser, and
delivering on your promise, on time, every time.
Tip #2: Convert Customers
Into Evangelists
Let’s apply the concept of relationship marketing to establishing
relationships with other businesses and professional firms. Your
goal will be to convert these casual acquaintances into “friends,”
turn friends into “believers” and transform believers into
“evangelists” for your retail business and your brand. The
“acquaintances” are the businesses or individuals that may have
contacted you in the past to deliver a floral piece for an
employee’s birthday or retirement party; the “friends” are those
managers or administrators who are pleased with your work
and call you back to provide a floral arrangement for other
occasions. From there it’s a quick leap from friend to “believer”
if you have delivered quality, beauty and perceived value on
a consistent basis. That’s when believers become your brand
“evangelists”: they tell others about you and refer you to their
colleagues and associates.
Sounds obvious, right? If a business account places an order
with you to fulfill by 10 am. but your flower piece arrives at
10:15, you’ve just lost credibility and damaged the trust between
you. It really doesn’t matter why the delivery was late — being
stuck in traffic, getting lost, needing to buy gas, getting the
order out the door late – none of that matters to the customer
who wanted to surprise someone on a particular day and
time. The trust has been broken and the potential for repeat
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
MarketingFeature
business seriously compromised. You run the risk of turning
someone who was a “friend” into an “unbeliever” instead of
moving the client through the conversion pipeline to becoming
an evangelist.
Now that you have an idea of what it takes to convert
customers into evangelists, let’s examine what steps you may
want to follow to increase your revenues and market share by
expanding your commercial business.
Tip #3: Determine the Size of Your
Potential Market
An important step in building your base of commercial clients
is to identif y the scope of the market. Take a look at the
demographics of the metropolitan area that you serve, and
identify the number and location of possible targets for your
products and services. Consider professional services such as
law firms, banks, financial services brokers, accounting firms,
insurance companies and real estate offices. And let’s not forget
the obvious targets: hotels, restaurants, banquet halls and other
venues. Determine the market potential for businesses located
within a 25-50 mile radius of your store, including the number
of businesses and the universe of employees who work there
who could become individual clients, then get to know them
and what they need.
Tip #4: Define Your Offer
Once you’ve got a good sense of the market potential for your
floral services, then you need to define your offer. Ask yourself
some essential questions such as: What can I provide that
customers can’t get anywhere else? What do I do better than
other florists in the area? What value-added services do I offer
to my customers? What problem do I solve? What products or
services do I highlight that set my business apart? What are the
personal qualities or brand distinctives that customers desire?
What experience or expertise do I possess that clients would be
willing to pay for? Do I deliver what I promise?
Next, take a look around your shop as if you were seeing
it for the first time. What catches your eye? Do you have a
variety of containers, paper products, gift items and gourmet
food items that would enhance your appeal to commercial
accounts? To be distinctive and memorable, you need to elicit
a positive emotional response to your offerings beyond the
artistry of your design skills. Dare to be distinctive! Develop
a unique signature that accompanies your floral designs to
make them memorable.
Now that you’ve taken a personal inventory and a physical
assessment of your services and products, you’re ready to create
your “unique selling proposition,” or pitch. How you present
yourself and your offer is just as important as the offer itself.
11
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
MarketingFeature
Think about ways to convey your message — can you do it with
a well-crafted letter of introduction, an eye-catching promotional
piece or brochure, a hand-written note, a personal visit, a
complimentary gift showcasing your design artistry and quality,
or some combination of these? What works best for your
customers and how do you know?
Tip #5: Do The Research
If your business is located in a metropolitan area surrounded
by offices, corporate headquarters and other retail establishments,
it should be fairly easy to do market research by just walking
around. Get out of your shop and check out the businesses in
your immediate vicinity. Look at
t he i r s tor e f r ont s a nd t he i r
customers – are you selling to the
same type of clients?
Or is your shop in a strip mall
or stand-alone spot with little
walk-in traffic? Will you have to
expand the circle of your target
market to several miles beyond
your location? If so, you can easily
go online and check listings and
search results for the kinds of
businesses you want to attract.
Look at their websites or directory
ads, if any – do they seem like a
good fit for your services? If you
are a small shop and you are the
c h ie f de sig ne r /s a le s p e r s on /
custodian, you have to gauge the
extent to which you can provide
excellent service to large corporate
accounts versus single-office small
businesses or professional firms.
It’s vital to be honest with yourself
and know what you can and
cannot accomplish; your brand
integrity depends on it.
Consider the impact on your daily operations of gaining 25
new commercial accounts that will require weekly servicing
throughout the year. That’s 25 designs X 52 weeks at an average
retail price of $150 each, depending on the size and type of
client. The outcome could contribute gross revenues of $3750/
week X 52 – $195,000 (not including COGS). But if you have
insufficient design staff, delivery vehicles or drivers to meet the
increased demand, the cost-benefit can end up having a negative
effect on your business overall.
Make the most of the oppor tunit y to design week ly
arrangements for single-office firms or small businesses by
realizing economies of scale from producing similar designs
for businesses of a similar size and
type (real estate offices, medical offices,
small manufacturers, family-st yle
restaurants). This approach allows you
to leverage your purchasing power
with your wholesale floral supplier by
buying fresh flowers from the same
source in set quantities every week —
an arrangement that gives you the
advantage of more favorable pricing
for standing orders and enables you
to increase your profit margin per
retail order.
For more upscale business clients, like
professional services firms, you may be
able to create a design menu based on
the most available or seasonal flowers
and then replicate those designs, with
some variations, for clients at the higher
end of the price spectrum. You will still
achieve time- and cost-savings by
creating similar desig ns for this
customer segment and possibly using
fewer, but more expensive, flowers per
arrangement. By streamlining your
production for both customer segments,
you can realize greater profits.
While the industry
has been adversely
affected by the recent
economic downturn,
the fundamental basis
for giving flowers
remains intact.
We sell emotion and
promote well-being. We
function within a business
environment that values
Tip #6: Do The Math
and upholds beauty, both
You’ve gone through the process
to identify the number and size
(market potential) of the commercial businesses you want to attract.
Now you will need to figure out the potential revenues to be
earned from these customers.
If your market potential consists of a few thousand businesses
and firms in your total marketing area, you may be thinking
this will be as easy as shooting fish in a pail. But let’s be realistic:
How many commercial accounts can you effectively service
on a weekly basis? An important factor in developing commercial
business is to project a positive image and deliver consistent
quality. If your end product falters or fails to meet the
expectations of your target audience, you will risk losing those
revenues. In order for you to increase commercial business by
word-of-mouth and referral, your design work has to remain
true to your brand promise.
Ok, you’ve identified your target
audience, you’ve defined your offer,
you’ve calculated your costs and
potential revenues. Now – how will you
get your message in front of the decision-makers? You will need
to create brand awareness and generate leads through targeted
advertising and public relations campaigns, on and offline;
through co-marketing efforts with select venues; and by using
traditional direct mail/e-mail and special events.
It’s a truism that, whether you plan to do the marketing or not,
you’re still marketing. It may not be intentional or part of your
annual budget, but marketing happens with or without you. Of
course, it’s better to direct your marketing activities than to let
your lack of marketing focus do more harm than good.
Would you patronize a hair stylist who always looked like
she just rolled out of bed or didn’t sterilize her brushes? Probably not. Would a business client continue to patronize your
natural and created.
12
Tip 7: Do The Marketing
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
MarketingFeature
floral shop if the flowers in his last order drooped and the leaves
turned yellow? Definitely not. Here is a basic truth of marketing:
you are your brand. Everything you say and do, from the appearance of your shop to the quality of your flowers, bears your
imprint and reflects who you are. If the person who answers
the phone at your business (you?) is friendly and helpful, the
caller immediately gains a sense of confidence in your ability
to deliver her order. Conversely, if the phone is answered abruptly and the caller is either put on hold or treated rudely, it’s very
likely that he won’t be calling back.
Tip #8: Pull, Don’t Push
Kudos to you if you are including promotions in your monthly statements to your customers – great start! But how else are
you drawing potential customers in to your shop or your website?
Do customers routinely check your website to see the “special of
the week” (SOW) or download a coupon for a free balloon with
their next order?
Don’t overlook social media as a way to draw new customers
who can become avid fans on Facebook and share their
enthusiasm for your work with their network of friends.
Facebook is a powerful vehicle for building web traffic as
well as establishing yourself as a forward-thinking retailer.
You’ll be surprised at how effective Facebook is when people
start to “like” you and your business – many consumers read
customer product reviews before they make a purchase decision.
You should also spend some time developing a “tweet” schedule
for your Twitter account so you can add comments automatically
at pre-determined times. Check out the useful tool at http://www.
tweetadder.com/ and start tweeting on a regular basis to develop
tons of followers.
Another great site that is ideal for floral retailers is Pinterest,
where you can upload photos and videos of your best work and
get others to “pin” your photos to their site. Because of the visual
nature of Pinterest, you may want to invest the time to become
fully acquainted with its capabilities.
When you engage your customers with pull tactics, you empower them to choose the offer or promotion that they want or
need. It may seem counterintuitive – after all, you bought way
too many roses last week and you need to clear out your cooler! Or you overestimated the appeal of those cute baby containers and you don’t have room to stock them, so of course you
want to push those items along and reduce your inventory. But
that approach is not customer-focused and will not encourage
clients to engage with your brand. So what’s a florist to do?
Tip #9: Twelve Tactics to Engage Your
Customers (Individual and Commercial)
1. Borrow a technique from the big box stores: offer a BOGO
– buy one, get one.
Saginaw Valley
Flower Exchange, Inc.
I n v i t e s y o u t o s t o p in
to see the new styles
and t r e nds f o r 2 0 1 2
Trim – Trees – Ribbons
and much, much, more!
We look forward
to serving you!
1400 Tittabawassee
Saginaw, MI 48604
(800) 783-3858 • (989) 752-3173
Fax (989) 752-7905
13
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
MarketingFeature
2. Provide a bonus to customers who refer you to clients
who place an order with you within a specific timeframe.
3. Develop a loyalty program — let customers earn points
for rewards.
4. Partner with a complementary business to trade/
reciprocate services. Entice customers with incentives
at each partner business.
5. Have weekly drawings for a free arrangement. If conducted
online, customers will have to provide their contact
information, which then goes right into your database
to generate future offers.
6. Do surveys and contests onsite or online and provide
winners with a discount on their next purchase. Publish
their photo on your website or in-store display.
7. Invite business clients to a special evening after-hours
with refreshments at your shop to introduce a new product
or service.
8. Support a local charity or sponsor an area event — get your
name in front of people who value community
participation.
9. Mail out scratch-off discount cards that can only be
redeemed when the customer comes into your store.
10. Make a donation of a portion of every order received on
a given day to a client’s favorite organization or local
14
shelter. Raising your social-conscience profile demonstrates
your commitment to more than just making money and
extends your brand.
11. E xplore opportunities for short-term excitement and quick
sales through local mobile marketing offers with services
such as Groupon.
12.Offer to do an onsite evaluation and create a complimentary custom plan for weekly deliveries based on the
client’s office layout, lighting and space.
The flower business is a high-touch, highly relational industry
where the level of personal interaction involves trust to encourage
repeat business. While the industry has been adversely affected
by the recent economic downturn, the fundamental basis for
giving flowers remains intact. We sell emotion and promote wellbeing. We function within a business environment that values
and upholds beauty, both natural and created. And there will
always be a market for that.
Carolynn Van Namen, MBA, is an independent marketing and communications consultant with Integra Global Consulting, based in the Chicago area.
She is dedicated to helping small businesses refine, refresh and renew
their on- and offline marketing and messaging. Check out her profile at
Linkedin.com/in/carolynnvannamen, follow her on Twitter@cvannamen
or contact her directly at [email protected].
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
SympathyColumn
One in 17 Million!
How to stand out in a crowd
Copyright 2010, Imaginque Studios
B y L aura L . Park e r , A I F D , C F D , C F
W
hen the word sympathy is
entered into Google, it
brings up 17,000,000
results… Yes, that’s 17 million!
The vast number or results include
everything from research and articles to a
excess of retailers from stationery and
booksellers, to poetry and giftware…and, oh
yeah, let’s not forget the plethora of floral retailers!
Consumers seeking a way to express their condolences have
so many options. It’s no wonder the floral industry has experienced
significant changes in the volume of sympathy work. There are
any numbers of theories on how flower shops can increase their
sympathy sales. The vast majority of these ideas are good, some
are even great; however there is one very simple and inexpensive
way to earn more business. Relationships!
What is the most important factor in most buying decisions?
Trust. Think about it, when was the last time you made a purchase
of any importance from a business or individual that you did not
trust? There are many ways to build trust with current customers
and potential customers.
The first is the most personal; you need to get to know your
customers! Make sure every customer is the most important
person in the store. Can a store owner personally greet and know
every single customer? Probably not, and that is where your staff
becomes crucial. Each staff member must take responsibility for
developing relationships with the customers they serve. This
applies not only to salespeople but to designers as well.
Floral designers often develop a signature style that is their
passion and will acquire a following of customers who are
drawn to that designer’s creations. When these customers then
need sympathy flowers, they will go to the professional that
they trust to provide them with quality. This trust is tied closely
to comfort level.
Death makes nearly all of us feel vulnerable and we are then
drawn to people and places that are comfortable. When Mrs.
Smith’s aunt dies she’s going to come to you because of the
relationship and comfort level that has developed. Providing
personal service is about more than merely being solicitous, it
must be authentic.
Of course, we cannot forget the most obvious relationship
important to sympathy business, the funeral director. If the local
funeral directors trust you and respect your design work, you
will be referred to their clients. Designers have a lot to do with
this relationship even if they rarely meet the funeral director face
to face. The designs sent to the funeral home speak for the
designers. Are they structurally sound and attractive? Do they
leave a trail of debris, like moss or loose foliage? Are there stray
wires or pins that can scratch someone’s hand or tear clothing?
All of these seemingly small details can affect the relationship
your shop has with the funeral director.
The public image of a flower shop is an important business
relationship also. This connection generates positive word of
mouth advertising. The values and ethics that are associated with
a business will ultimately determine their relationship with the
local market. Flower shops can increase public awareness and
grow their relationship with the community though involvement
in networking organizations, civic groups, business associations,
churches, schools, and municipal events.
Don’t make the mistake of hiding floral designers in the
workroom. Look for opportunities to show case their design
abilities along with the flowers. This is how a public image of
trust is developed; people generally are less likely to trust someone
they don’t know anything about.
This is not something you can do in a simple advertising
campaign. There are no stamps to stick or envelopes to stuff.
All you need is a friendly smile and a quality business. Reach
out to anyone who affects or is affected by your business and
build a relationship. You will be amazed at the difference it
will make.
15
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
MemberProfile
Picket Fence,
a Family Affair
B y B arbara Gilb e r t, Edi t o r
L
ife is full of what ifs. For example, if Sarah Boetsma’s
mother hadn’t decorated the family’s business with
Sarah’s arrangements, her daughter’s floral career
would not have begun at the tender age of 18.
While in high school, Sarah attended Career Line Tech Center
for half the day. She took the Greenhouse Floral Class, learned
to make a variety of arrangements, and found she loved
wedding work.
“My mom would buy everything I made at school and put
the arrangements all around their canvas shop. Laurie, the
Picket Fence owners Karen DeJonge, left, and daughter Sarah Boetsma.
owner of Zeeland Floral, came in to have a horse blanket
repaired, saw my work, and that’s how I got my first job at 18.
Who knows where I would have been if she hadn’t walked in.
In fact, now her daughter is getting married and I am doing
the flowers.”
After working at Zeeland Floral for four years, Sarah opened
a wedding flower business in the canvas shop. “My dad got a
16
cooler for me and I worked in a 20’ x 20’ room. It was hard,
at first, being a ‘Basement Betty’ competing with bigger
companies. But, I did bridal shows, and a lot of networking
with people in the industry.”
She worked out of the canvas shop for six years. During that
time she did about 100 weddings and then realized she really
wanted to get into retail in addition to her wedding work. “I
was scared to death and didn’t know if I would make it but I
really wanted a retail shop.” So, six years ago she opened her
shop at 897-20 S. Washington in Holland.
Her mother Karen DeJonge has been her partner from the
beginning. “Mom does the bookkeeping and helps around the
shop and dad is the silent partner.”
The shop has expanded to space next door to set up a DoIt-Yourself area. Brides can rent the room for four hours to
make their own bouquets and boutonnieres. Sarah provides
flowers and supplies and will conduct an arrangement class
if need be. In some cases, during dahlia season, brides can
go pick their flowers at the Dahlia Farm in Hamilton run
by Jan Brondyke, and bring them back to create their
wedding bouquets.
During wedding season there are two full time designers,
two delivery drivers, her mom and sometimes a part-timer to
handle the orders. Weddings are kind of a love/hate relationship,
she noted, “I hate the stress but love when we deliver the bridal
flowers and see how happy the bride is to get them.”
Picket Fence has been named the winner of The Knot’s Best
of Weddings for West Michigan two years in a row. The shop
also was cited in Wedding Wire, an online wedding site.
In the shop, best sellers are mixed bouquets. Sarah explained,
“We bring our customers back to the cooler, they pick out their
favorites and we make the bouquets. Gerbera daisies are our
most popular flower and, of course, in the spring, tulip bunches.
As for hard goods, glassware is the best seller.”
Holiday promotions are important because they are an
opportunity for a shop to gain new customers. For Mother’s
Day and Valentine’s Day, Picket Fence has partnered with Thunder
94.5, the country music station. For Mother’s Day, listeners
write in saying why their mother is special. Five winners are
picked, and Flounder, the morning dj, dressed in white tights,
a tutu, and wings, delivers them.
“I provide the flowers and in return we get lots of free chatter
during the morning and great name recognition. Radio definitely gets results.” She also advertises in the New Bride
Magazine put out by the local newspaper and is on The Knot.
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
MemberProfile
Picket Fence
has been named
the winner of
The Knot’s Best
of Weddings for
West Michigan
two years in a row.
The shop also was
cited in Wedding
Wire, an online
wedding site.
The shop has special areas for
both sympathy and bridal
consultations.
Sarah feels that networking is one of her most
valuable marketing tools.
Connections with venues,
photographers, and rental
companies have brought
proven results and more
business.
In 2012 Sarah attended
her first Great Lakes Floral
Expo and was so impressed
she wants to volunteer
next year. “It was great fun.
I found new sources and
the design seminars were
great. I picked up tips and
techniques. Watching the
de s i g ne r s c r e ate wa s
inspiring and made me
want to go back to the
shop and do new things.”
She is in the process of updating her website, www.picketfence.
com, to include an interactive flower catalog with a special
section on weddings. She is also on Facebook and believes
that the use of social media is a boon to her business.
She thinks that the website will take Picket Fence to the next
level and help provide outstanding customer service. “I believe
customer service is the most important element. We try to go
above and beyond in making sure our customer is happy and
satisfied. I could not do any of this without my staff, they are
the best.”
In summing up her career to date, Sarah gave the most credit
to her parents. “Without my mother and father, I would not be
where I am today. I come from a long line of entrepreneurs.
Now mom and dad say I am their retirement plan.”
17
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
BridalUpdate
Bridal
Consultations 101
B y L o ann B urk e , A I F D , C F D , P F C I
E v e n t S p e cialis t, F urs t F l o ris t, D ay t o n , O H
T
oday, a bride may visit three to five florists
before choosing one for her wedding day.
So how do you stand out in the crowd? How
do you make yourself memorable? It’s one thing to get
a bride to walk through your door. It’s another thing
entirely to earn her trust and land the sale. A few simple
strategies can help turn a cautious bride into a long
term buying relationship.
Ask to See Her Bridal Gown
Want to see a bride light up? Ask about her dress. So many
times we focus solely on the flowers, forgetting that the flowers
are simply one of a multitude of details she’s been planning.
She’s excited to show you everything from her inspiration
photos to her engagement ring.
Show the bride you’re interested in her and all the details
by asking about the dress. The dress can speak volumes about
the bride and her personal taste. Is she vintage and simple?
Ruffles and lace? Whipped cream and tulle? Seeing the dress
often gives insight into flower selections that will best
complement the gown’s overall look and feel.
Show Her Actual Flowers
The clean lines of both container and flower give these centerpieces a more
contemporary feel. Bright colors, combined with the visual movement of the
midollino and callas create a modern Biedermeier for a modern bride.
Photos are good. Real flowers are better. When possible,
raid the cooler for some choice blooms that will give the
overall look and feel the bride is trying to create. While you
may not have the exact flowers at the ready in your cooler, an
approximation of texture and color is often enough give the
bride a glimpse of the possibilities.
Remember, until the bride comes to you, most of her flower
dreams have been two dimensional: on a computer, iPad or iPhone.
Bring those flowers to life by giving the bride a three dimensional look at some possible options. Put them in her hands. Let
the bride touch and smell the possibilities.
Listen More Than You Speak
As basic as this sounds, the bride wants to tell you a story.
Her story. Let the bride talk. It’s your job to listen. She’s been
planning and dreaming about this day since she was six years
old. The bride needs to trust you with her dream. All too often,
18
brides tell me, “The other florist just didn’t listen to me! ”
For example, my earthy bohemian wildflower bride who wanted
that just-picked, super casual look told me about a florist who
insisted on showing her gigantic bouquets full of callas, orchids,
and hydrangeas. Or my vintage Victorian bride, planning her
wedding at the Art Institute, who received a suggestion of brightly
colored gerbera daisies and babies breath.
Don’t inflict your personal taste on the bride. She has her own
style, personality, and wants. She has her own vision for her
wedding day. Listen. Then show your expertise by making
appropriate suggestions to fulfill that vision in flowers. Tell the
bride’s story. Not yours.
Remember, a bridal consultation is more than simply taking
an order. We’re selling more than flowers. We’re selling dreams.
It’s our job to reinterpret those dreams in flowers.
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
19
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
Save the Date for the 2012
Michigan Floral Foundation Hall of Fame Awards Dinner
Ho no rin g B o bbi Eck e r - B lat chf o rd , A A F, A IF D , C F D , P F C I,
o wn er of Th e Fl o ra Pr o s in C hicag o
Th u r sd ay, O c tob e r 1 1 , 2 0 1 2
How can I support the
Michigan Floral Foundation?
Be sure to save the date, 10-11-12,
for an evening of fun and fellowship as the Michigan Floral
Foundation (MFF) presents its
Hall of Fame, to be held at the
Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, 187
Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids,
MI, 49503. Tickets for the event
are available by calling the MFA
office at (517) 575-0110. For more
information on the Hall of Fame,
visit www.michiganfloral.org/mff.
html. Don’t miss this exciting
event from your MFA!
About the
Michigan Floral Foundation
– Founded 2007
The Michigan Floral Foundation
has been established to support and
advance the floral industry, its
members and the communities they
serve. The Foundation meets this
responsibility through educational
opportunities and community
enrichment activities.
The MFF will periodically honor
outstanding members of the floral
industry who have mentored and
inspired their fellow industry
members. The Michigan Floral
Foundation Hall of Fame has been
established to record the
contributions of those so honored.
The Foundation will support and
encourage educational opportunities
between the public and design
professionals approved by the MFF
board of directors. These programs
20
Bobbi Ecker-Blatchford,
AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI
will be available at a reasonable
charge to non-profit community
organizations.
The Foundation also will make
available financial assistance to those
seeking to become a Certified Florist,
such as providing matching funds
when candidates purchase their
study materials. The board of
directors will furnish applications
upon request. Grants will be awarded
on a one-by-one basis in accordance
with funds available for distribution.
The Michigan Floral Foundation
(MFF) is a 501(c) 3 organization. Every
contribution is tax deductible and there
are many ways that an individual can
contribute to the MFF. They can give a
living memorial by contributing a
monetary amount in honor of a
person’s birthday or anniversary or at
holiday time. A donation to the MFF
can be given in loving memory of a
loved one at their passing. One might
request the funeral director include the
Michigan Floral Foundation as a possible
organization to contribute to. A contribution can be given in honor of someone as a way of saying thank you, or
make a professional gesture to let them
know they are special by acknowledging them in this extraordinary manner.
The intentions have been outlined;
our mission statement completed and
donations are now being accepted.
Every donation is a tax deductable
contribution and stays within the
State of Michigan and is used within
the State of Michigan to help Michigan
florists. So when that person you
know has everything they could
possibly want, think of contributing
a living memorial in their honor.
Make them feel good while giving to
this cause and keep our State’s florists
educated and successful and keep
our floral industry professional. To
donate, contact the MFA office at (517)
575-0110, or visit www.michiganfloral.
org and click on the MFF logo!
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
DesignerSpotlight
Here Comes Christmas!
By D o u g B at e s , C F, fr o m D e si g n ’ s By V o gt ’ s , S t ur g is , M I — 2 012 M FA D e si g n e r o f t h e Y e ar
A
ah, Christmas. That marvelous time of year when we
snuggle in front of the fireplace with our special
someone while sipping eggnog and enjoying the dulcet
sounds of Bing, Frank, Eartha, and Perry…Wait a minute!
We’re FLORISTS! We don’t have time for that nonsense! We’ve
got halls to deck, centerpieces to deliver, and poinsettias to
water! With so much going on, we rarely have time to enjoy
the Christmas Season until Christmas Day! Wouldn’t it be
great if we could make more time for ourselves during the
most wonderful time of the year?
WE CAN!!
At Christmas, it’s vital to plan ahead. Look for things that
can be prepped up, and then just need one or two finishing
touches to complete when needed. Containers can be greened,
millimeter balls and pine cones wired and picked, and plenty
of permanent arrangements can be prepared.
Something else that can be done ahead…door décor like
this! This is an item that moves VERY quickly at our shop at
Christmas, so I make up quite a few preseason, and then have
plenty to replenish displays as they sell. Customers love these
because they grab attention and are a break from the
traditional evergreen wreath at Christmas. Also, with the
large assortment of Deco Mesh available, this doorpiece can
be customized to any décor.
An added bonus? It’s fast and easy to assemble. I started
with a wired garland and used it to hold the mesh into place.
Then I added a couple of fun glittered sprays, a bit of pine
(It is, after all, Christmas!), a length of crinkled ribbon, a few
large glittered poinsettias, and several lengths of Oasis Flat
Wire to suspend the ornaments… and we’re done! Like I was
saying, much of this can be assembled ahead (like July!), and
ornaments or permanents added when your Christmas
merchandise arrives later. With just a little planning, you can
be sure to get that eggnog by the fire!
P.S. If you’ve never played with the Deco Mesh, I suggest
you pick up a couple bolts and have fun getting to know
this product!
Sponsored by
Nordlie, Inc. of Warren, Flint, Grandville, MI;
Cleveland, Newton Falls, Dayton, OH; Tampa, FL
21
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
CompanyProfile
FloraCraft
Still Going
Strong
B y B arbara Gilb e r t, Edi t o r
M
ichigan based FloraCraft ® is one of the floral
industries best known companies.
The company was founded in Ludington more
than 65 years ago in 1946 by Len Schoenherr. The company is
still family-owned today and Lee Schoenherr is the owner and
chairman of the board. Originally named the Foliage Company of America, its first products were dyed, painted, and
preserved Michigan foliages.
At the same time, in 1946, another Michigan Company, Dow
Chemical, perfected STYROFOAM TM Brand Foam. Along with
FloraCraft, they realized that this product could be an essential
aid to floral designers. Today FloraCraft Corporation is the
world’s largest fabricator of STYROFOAM TM Brand Foam for the
floral and craft industry.
Current president and CEO is Jim Scatena. Scatena, has been
at FloraCraft for 14 years. He was named the 2010 recipient of
the Craft & Hobby Association Meritorious Award of Honor
The company has tried to foster a family atmosphere in
Ludington. Scatena pointed out that among the 200 plus
employees many have been with the company for a long period
of time and some are even second and third generation.
As a Michigan company, FloraCraft has a continuing relationship with MFA. They are participants at the Great Lakes Floral
Expo and have also supported the annual golf outing.
FloraCraft was founded in Ludington, MI
more than 65 years ago in 1946 by
Len Schoenherr. The company is still
family-owned today and Lee Schoenherr
is the owner and chairman of the board.
22
The Fold ‘n Go
Wire Easel has a
patented Fold ‘n Lock
mechanism that locks
the easel in the
open position.
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
We are here to help…
At the corporate headquarters, the company maintains
a display and design department which supports the
firm’s education programs and evaluates new products.
A full time designer is also on hand.
Several new products have debuted recently. The
submersible LED Light Strand produces a “touch of
sparkle” for special events and home décor. They can be
shaped to fit a vase or added to an arrangement to
highlight the many various colors provided by the flowers.
Also, the submersible globe LED lights are an attractive
addition to any arrangement and have seven static color
settings to provide sparkle to containers filled with glass
marbles or water beads.
The new Fold ‘n Go Wire Easel folds up completely. It
can be stored and transported easily. Its patented locking
mechanism puts the easel in an open position to display
wreaths, sprays, etc.
Products that are most popular with Michigan florists are
Styrofoam® shapes, containers, Artesia® wet
foam bricks and shapes, Gala® wedding
bouquet holders, and kissing ball arrangements.
In order to facilitate a smooth
chain of supply, FloraCraft has
manufacturing and distribution
centers in California, Arkansas,
and Mexico. Its commitment to
state of the art technology has
made FloraCraft a major global
trading partner.
Scatena’s advice to florists
in these difficult economic
times is to be creative and
br oaden t heir busi ness
prof ile to include other
opportunities such as party
and event planners.
He a l so pr ov ide d a n
insight into the company’s ideology
by su m ma r i z i ng t he m i ssion
statement. “We want to continue to
be an innovative industry leader,
meeting our customers’ needs with
quality products produced in a safe
and secure working environment.
We take pride in our long history
and our dedication to the community and our employees.”
The Submersible LED
Light Strand can be added
to any arrangement.
Both the lights
and battery pack
are submersible.
Kennicott Brothers
Company
Serving the Midwest Floral Industry since 1881.
Visit us at one of our seven locations
or on the web at www.kennicott.com.
Contact us at [email protected].
If You can’t find it at Kennicott’s, You can’t find it anywhere!
Hammond, IN
219-933-7515
4316 Calumet
Chicago, IL
312-492-8200
452 N Ashland
Aurora, IL
630-896-1091
720 New Haven
Waukegan, IL
847-244-3110
3210 Grand Ave.
Elk Grove Village, IL
847-734-8650
880 Estes Ave.
Milwaukee, WI
414-443-1100
4831 W. State
Decatur, IL
217-422-2438
1695 North 21st St.
The 2013 Floral Olympics
Floral aficionados, save the date! Mark your calendar now for the
2013 Great Lakes Floral Expo, March 1-3, 2013.
The conference, “Reaching for Excellence, Aiming Higher,
Achieving More, The Floral Olympics,” promises to be a fun-filled
weekend full of inspiring and empowering learning opportunities.
The conference will be held at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel/DeVos
Place in Grand Rapids, MI. For more information on attending
or exhibiting, please visit www.michiganfloral.org
or call the MFA office at (517) 575-0110.
— Dick Gleason, CF, 2013 Expo Chairman
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the professional florist | volume IV 2012
cfreport
Chairman’s Report
Achieving
Certification
B y Tim L at im e r , C F, C F chairman
T
he CF committee is continuing to
develop ways to help you achieve the
goal of certification. We are offering
basic and intermediate classes through the
MFA Professional Education Center which are
designed to guide you through the information
in the CF manual and give you hands-on
experience. The next classes will begin on
September 12th, 2012, and run through
December 6th, 2012. Contact the MFA office for more information.
The next testing is scheduled on October 14th at Michigan
State University.
If you need some help studying we will be offering a “Steps to
Certification” class on September 19th, 2012.
We are developing a set of full color product identification
flash cards that will be a great study aid for the written portion
of the exam. These will be available soon from the MFA office.
How’s Your Image?
T
he CF program was developed with one question in mind.
What does the consumer expect a professional florist to
know? What the customer expects you to know directly
affects their image of your business.
Of course the first thing that comes to mind is design. The
CF manual covers design very extensively and great design is
definitely important in creating a positive image, but there is
so much more!
Care and Handling
What is the thing that the consumer remembers most about
floral purchases? They remember that the flowers were beautiful;
they remember that they were unique or well designed, they may
even remember the cost but the lasting memory is how long the
flowers last! Proper care and handling of your flowers goes a long
way to establishing your professional image.
Product Identification
As a professional you should be able to identify the flowers
that the consumer sees. How many times has a future bride
brought in a picture torn out of a magazine and said “I want the
flowers to look like this”? Can you identify the flowers? Do you
know if they are available at the time she needs them? She expects
that you can.
Customer Relations/Sales
What are you in business for? Not just to sell roses or do the
occasional wedding. You’re there to help people enjoy the end
result benefit of flowers. In other words, you’re in business to
help people express their emotions through floral purchases.
The CF Manual will also guide you through the other areas of
your business that affect your image: marketing, accounting,
display, lighting, delivery.
Your Image is everything to the success of your business, and
CF is here to help.
Tim Latimer, CF, teaches floral design at Michigan State University
and has been on the CF committee since its inception. He was involved
in developing the CF Manual and writing the written exam.
Tim has been designing and teaching for 25 years.
C o n g r at u l at i o n s N e w C e r t i f i e d F l o r i s t s !
Rebecca Geary, CF – McNamara Florist at Sandpoint, Fort Wayne, IN
Nancy Mertz, CF – Dexter, MI
CF Flower of the Month
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)
Poinsettias are available November through December. This
traditional holiday favorite is native to Mexico. New varieties are
introduced each year expanding the color ranges to include
deep red, pink, white, peach, and an array of bi-colors.
Poinsettias are long-lasting plants and will continue to bloom
for 2-3 months.
Do not believe the old myth that poinsettias are toxic.
According to the POISINDEX information source – the primary
resource used by the majority of poison control centers
nationwide – a child who
weighed 50 lbs. would
have to eat over 500
poinsettia leaves to reach
an even potentially toxic
dose of compounds in
the poinsettia plant.
Inform your customers
that they are safe and
see your sales increase.
Floral Tip: Customer first! From the CF manual, page 130
You should recognize that every customer contact is an opportunity to build the relationship.
This includes when you bill, make deliveries, and even when there is a problem to be resolved.
Any time you “touch” a customer, turn it into a positive experience that builds your brand and keeps your customer coming back.
Your CF manual is full of information that will help you build this customer loyalty!
24
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
BusinessColumn
Simple Checkout is an
Easy E-Commerce Option
B y A nn e H e ra g h t y
I
f you are looking for an easy and inexpensive way to accept
payments on the Web, this could be the perfect solution.
Authorize.Net’s Simple Checkout is just that – simple. It’s so
easy to configure that you will save time and money bypassing
a Web designer. Though Simple Checkout won’t work for everyone, it is a great option for those who have a limited number of
items to sell, wish to accept donations or offer clients another
way to pay invoices.
Authorize.Net is a subsidiary of Visa and the world’s largest
provider of secure gateway services. They manage the routing of
billions of transactions each year through the Internet. Their
Simple Checkout option offers you the ability to add a “Buy Now”
or “Donate” button to your Web page quickly and easily, as well
as the capability to accept payments for invoices.
An account with Authorize.Net is all you need to begin. Clients
of MTG are extended preferred rates – literally less than half the
cost of going directly through Authorize.Net. The buttons for your
Web site are created by filling out a basic form with information
about your products and merging it with the Authorize.Net
Merchant Interface.
When selling an item, Simple Checkout allows you to customize several settings for each one, including a description of the
item, quantity desired and shipping options along with the “Buy
Now“ button. If your business sells a limited selection of specialty items, it will allow you to take orders without the work of
creating a shopping cart on your page.
If you are a nonprofit organization, you can specify suggested
donation amounts and display the “Donate” button. This could
be a real money-saver and will allow donations to be collected
easily via the web.
The invoice payment feature allows you to get your clients’
information so they may “Submit” a payment. MTG uses Simple
Checkout for this very purpose.
Whatever your needs, you will also be provided an Authorize.
Net verified merchant seal to display on your page, which is
promptly recognized and verifies the safety of the transactions.
Whether you are taking orders or collecting money, Simple
Checkout gives you the ability to secure your presence on the
Web and secure your transactions, without spending a lot of
hours or dollars to do so. Visit www.authorize.net and search
Simple Checkout to see how truly easy it is.
Anne Heraghty is a communications manager at Midwest Transaction
Group, www.midtrans.com.
25
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
26
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
Professional Education Center
Floral Design
School:
Introduction to
Design
Instructor: Tim Latimer, CF
Member $900
Non-Member $1000
12 Weeks of Class
Every Wednesday
Sept. 12-Nov. 28, 2012
6:00-9:00 pm
This comprehensive course will introduce beginning
students to the exciting field of floral design. Principles
and elements of design, proper mechanics of construction, care and handling of fresh materials and use of
color are the focal points. For those desiring to become
a Certified Florist, this class is a great first step.
Time will be divided between lecture and hands-on
design. All materials are included in the course fee and
students will have a completed design to take home
each week. Topics include: vased arrangements, symmetrical triangles, asymmetrical triangles, horizontal
centerpieces, round designs, hand-tied bouquets,
corsages, and boutonnieres.
The class will meet from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm every
Wednesday for 12 weeks beginning September 12.
There are 36 hours of classroom instruction.
Since this is a personal enrichment course there will
be no exams.
The limited course enrollment of 12 will ensure that
each student receives personal attention.
Intermediate
Floral Design
Certified Florist
Prep
Instructor: Tim Latimer,CF
Member $900
Non-Member $1000
12 Weeks of Class
Every Thursday
Sept. 13-Dec. 6, 2012
6:00-9:00 pm
This course builds upon the foundation of the basic
design course. The focus will be on the information
presented in the Certified Florist (CF) Manual with the
goal of preparing students to take the CF examination.
(Students who do not wish to take the CF exam will
still be welcome.)
The CF manual is the text for this course. You may
purchase this manual at www.michiganfloral.org or call
517-575-0110. This manual is recommended but not
required. All other materials will be included in the
registration fee.
Time will be divided between lecture and hands on
design. A sample test will be given on each topic.
Lecture topics include: care and handling of flowers
and plants, product identification, customer
relations,sales, delivery, marketing, accounting, display,
and intermediate floral design. Design topics include:
vased arrangements, bridal bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres and sympathy. Designs will incorporate the
contemporary techniques of grouping, layering, basing,
framing, and many more. Each week you will take home
your designs.
The class will meet from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm every
Thursday for 12 weeks beginning September 13. There
will be no class the week of November 22. There are
36 hours of classroom instruction.
Since this is a personal enrichment course there will
be no graded exams.
The limited course enrollment of 12 will ensure that
each student receives personal attention.
Steps to
Certification
Instructor: Cindy S. Ching AIFD, CF
Member $149.00
Non-Member $199.00
Wednesday
September 19th, 2012
10:00 am-4:30 pm
Cindy will guide those who plan on becoming Certified
Florists. The session will cover do’s and don’ts, methods and mechanics, insight and answers. This is a
hands-on experience. There will be tips on how to
prepare for both the written and design portions of
the test. Students will spend part of the day reviewing the written test and then work in the design room
learning what is needed to pass the exam, using all
the new CF written and hands-on sections! Attendees
will leave with a clear understanding of what it takes
to pass the prestigious national CF exam. Class will
run from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm with a half hour break
for lunch, which is included in the registration fee.
Bring you own tools.
Visit www.michiganfloral.org
or call the MFA office
at (517) 575-0110
for more information
and to register!
27
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
As a member of the
You’ll save big!
28
For information
and a rate quote contact:
Mr. Steve Grinnell
David Chapman Agency
[email protected]
PH: (517) 321-4600
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
Certified Florist
Manual & Testing
Did you know? MFA’s Certified Florist (CF) program is
a comprehensive program that covers all aspects of
professional floristry and is the most affordable program
available to florists today. And the most convenient: you can selfstudy at your own pace with this great manual/reference resource. The
Certified Florist accreditation is nationally recognized and an approved
pathway to AIFD accreditation. MFA offers an optional, educational
“Steps to Certification” class to help prepare for certification.
Other Certification or Certified Floral Designer programs available
today would cost you over $1,000 and could take you years to
accomplish! But not this program:
*Cost for manual and one round of CF testing is $599.99
(includes tax & S/H)
*Cost for manual only is $399.99
(includes tax & S/H)
Consumers today are offered more and more options for purchasing
flowers and are looking for your credentials or certification to help
them justify spending their money with you. Let them discover you are
a Certified Florist when they look into your business!
Get your CF manual today and prepare for the CF exam, which
consists of 2-1/2 hours of hands-on design (you make five designs:
one duplicate for incoming wire service orders, one vase, one pin-on
corsage, one wrist corsage and one wedding bouquet,) and two hours
of written work (30 product ID and 120 multiple choice questions).
If you pass each section with a score of 80 percent or better you,
become a Certified Florist!
The CF Manual consists
of the following
chapters and books:
1. Care & Handling
Classified Ads
Help Wanted
Upscale Floral Design Shop Seeks Creative Designer:
Terry’s Enchanted Garden is looking for a floral designer with creative
instincts. We are an upscale flower shop that has been servicing the
community for over 35 years. This is a fun environment where hard
work and dedication is rewarded. This designer position requires
attending on and off site projects, therefore your own transportation is
vital. Daily duties include customer service, ordering merchandise and
floral product, display creation and heading a creative environment.
Make each customer smile with your floral designs.
Benefits: Competitive Pay, Health Insurance, Supplemental Insurance.
Qualifications: Prior floral design experience, Must be able to pass
Michigan Gaming Control Board Requirements, Creative Eye/Artistic
Flair, Prior Sales Customer Service, Excellent floral knowledge. Resumes
welcomed 313-342-2333 FAX. Phone 313-342-3758 (Shop number).
Full Time Floral Designer Wanted: Teleflora shop in
Hastings, MI needs someone with training and/or experience. Send
resume to Barlow Florist 109 W. State St. Hastings, MI 49058,
Fax to: (269) 945-0469 or email: [email protected].
Sales Help Wanted: Seeking a flower and plant loving, lively,
outgoing, person to help at both Blumz locations (Detroit & Ferndale).
Your duties will include phone and in store sales, cleaning, delivery,
flower processing and maintenance, etc. Start as seasonal help with
potential for full time hours. Experience is a plus, but not required.
What’s required is a willingness to work on a team and adjust to
an ever changing environment where customer service comes
first. Weekend availability is required on a rotating basis. Salary/
Wage: Entry Level Position & Payment
Status: Part Time
Shift: Days,
Weekends
Location: Blumz Detroit & Ferndale. Email your resume to
[email protected].
7.Gluing
WholesaleJob Opportunities: Nordlie, Inc., Michigan’s
largest wholesaler, has excellent opportunities for high energy
staff in numerous capacities. Inside sales, route sales, designing,
or merchandising – stop by our Warren, Flint, or Grandville stores.
Full benefit program. Contact any one of our store managers: Tom
Figueroa AIFD, MCF; Warren; 586-755-4200. Cathy Davison;
Flint; 810-767-8883. Leslie Walton / Deb Durrant; Grandville;
616-534-6883.
8.Lighting
For Sale
9. Basic Floral Design (this topic is covered using two books
that are included with your manual purchase.
Florists’ Review Design School and
Flower Arranging… Step by Step Instructions for Everyday Designs
Successful Business and Building. Owner Retiring after
35 Years. Northwest Wayne County Location. For more information,
contact Robert Campbell at (248) 568-7830 Max Broock Realtors.
2. Product Identification
3. Customer Relations/Sales
4.Delivery
5.Marketing
6.Accounting
10.Study Guide & Evaluation Forms
Visit www.michiganfloral.org
or call (517) 575-0110
and register today!
Seeking Donations
MFA Scholarship Committee seeks donations for the
2013 silent auction: Help fund the MFA Scholarship program
with a donation to the Silent Auction. All kinds of items are needed.
Electronics, tools, sporting equipment, as well as any floral related
products. For more information on how to donate call the MFA office at
(517) 575-0110 or go to www.michiganfloral.org/mfa_scholarship.html
and download a Silent Auction donation form (PDF file).
29
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
BusinessCardads
Alice E. Waterous, AIFD, CF, CFD, PFCI
Alice Waterous
Floral Consultant LLC
217 Sherman Ave.
Grand Haven, MI 49417
616 446 5099
616 847 4052
[email protected]
Ridgeway
Floral & Gifts
901 W. Michigan Ave.
P.O. Box 147
Three Rivers, MI 49093
(269) 278-3955
Fax (269) 278-8085
florist
the professional
The Professional Florist (ISSN 21508658, USPS 008593) is the official
membership publication of the Michigan
Floral Association, 1152 Haslett Road,
Haslett, MI 48840. All membership dues
include a $50 subscription fee. Nonmember subscriptions are available at
the same rate for selected research,
publication and related personnel. The
Professional Florist is published bimonthly for members of Michigan Floral
Association.
Periodicals postage paid at Haslett,
Michigan and other additional offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to The Professional Florist, P.O. Box 67,
Haslett, MI 48840. Phone: (517) 5750110. FAX: (517) 575-0115.
The Michigan Floral Association is not
responsible for statements or opinions
published in The Professional Florist.
They represent the views of the author
and are not necessarily the views of
MFA or its staff.
Mission Statement
To provide education and
professional partnerships which
help to position Michigan Floral
Association members at the
forefront of the floral industry.
30
Vendors
A Beautiful
A Beautiful
Advertising
Advertising
Opportunity
Opportunity
Florists on
Facebook!
Looking for a fun, easy and FREE way to
network with fellow floral professionals and
keep in touch with friends? Join Facebook
today at www.facebook.com. The Michigan
Floral Association has a group page on
Facebook and we’d like you to join! You’ll
learn about upcoming Professional Education
Center classes, view pictures from the Great
Lakes Floral Expo, share tips and learn from
industry professionals, and so much more.
Have questions? E-mail Rod Crittenden at
[email protected] to get started.
ToToplace
placean
an ad
ad call
call
Rod
RodCrittenden
Crittendenat
at (517)
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575-0110
the professional florist | volume IV 2012
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the professional florist | volume IV 2012
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